Minnesota Goth Events and Gatherings for July 2018

Welcome to Minnesota Dark Scene, your guide to goth events and gatherings for the month of July 2018. There’s plenty to do for those not attending CONvergence this year (and two events for those who are), and the summer of great music continues! Events are subject to change, please follow these events to have the latest and greatest information. If something was missing be sure to let us know in the comments!

Special Events

For those of you going to CONvergence and looking to get your dance on early, Zwaremachine have you covered by playing a one-hour set on the Harmonic CONvergence stage. CONvergence 2018 membership required to attend, no admittance without proper badge. For more information about CONvergence or how to register please visit their website.

Osirians which consists of Oni Sakti and DJ SLT will start off the night with a bit of noise and synth before moving on to all-new music by Oni Sakti. Copper Core will take the stage and likely be playing off their new self-titled album which released June 22nd. DJ Mercury keeps the flow between sets. All ages and no cover!

Information Society will be kicking off the Saturday night rave at CONvergence with a live performance. This is a special treat for the convention and worth the membership price alone. InSoc started their international fame here in Minnesota and their synthpop mega hit “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” have kept them on everyone’s minds for 30 years. After they play the rave will continue well into the wee hours. CONvergence 2018 membership required to attend, no admittance without proper badge. For more information about CONvergence or how to register please visit their website.

A Pink Dream—an all-female tribute to the Cure—will be taking the stage and bringing classic goth hits to the dance floor with DJ Mercury adding tracks throughout. This is a great option for those not going to CONvergence and will be a good opportunity to take your Goth Prom outfit out for a spin before the big show. Bring snacks to share, no cover, 18+.

Dark Energy’s July club night brings in local special guest DJs from Rectum, a queer and goth dance night that has been running around Minneapolis for the last six years. Expect vinyl cuts of industrial, EBM, darkwave, post-punk, and other hard hits. Feel free to dress to whatever is your success: leather, lace, rubber, furry, fetish, or whatever happens to float your boat. DJs for the evening are Plunging Necklines, Dazzle, and Pagan Woman. Consent is mandatory, as is a $5 cover charge, and the event is 21+.

TEXTBEAK is on tour promoting their new album “Sick for Songs a Seasons Eats.” A local industrial/EBM outfit, TEXTBEAK is primed to provide excellent music to the scene. Along with them are local synthdustrial band Zwaremachine and New York City’s Searmanas which brings classical training and electronic hardware together. The DJs of Gothess will be spinning between sets. No cover and 21+.

Rock Fest celebrates their 25th anniversary with an insane list of bands new and old, including Disturbed, Godsmack, Seether, Incubus, Dee Snider, Sevendust, Pop Evil, Gwar, Skid Row, Powerman 5000, Otep, Soil, and nerdy-named bands Smiling Politely (an obvious Simpsons reference) and Picard. There is a Wednesday bash for three-day pass holders only. Most VIP packages on tickets and camping are sold out but there are still some general admission tickets and camping available, and parking is extra. But when you consider how much you’d spend just to see maybe two of these bands it all kind of works out. For more information and tickets visit their website.

Goth Prom returns for its 15th year, bringing a cyberpunk theme to the annual event. This is the goth event of the season, if not the year, and is an opportunity to dress your fanciest, dressing to theme or just dressing to impress. A nearly endless list of DJs from around the Twin Cities will keep the music going. Featured DJ is Symone Smash It along with Gothess DJs Miss Q, Mercury, and Hyperkarma. Hard Monday DJs Fenris and DV8 as well as sets by DJs Apollolypstic, Jobot, and ENDIF. Performances by Dragon’s Lair Performing Arts and the Forbidden Bazaar. This is an 18+ event and has a $10 cover.

Right on the heels of Goth Prom, the Forbidden Bazaar sets up again for a “twisted Disney” character theme party. Visual projections, fire performances, aerial arts, pole dancing, bellydancing, BDSM, burlesque, and more are in store for this evening. DJs will keep the dance floor moving and there’s a photo booth to capture the fun. Dress up like your favorite Disney character as accurately or alternatively as you wish and have a magical evening. 18+ cover is $15 and 21+ cover is $10.

Knife Party is on tour with their Australian electro house well known for their song “Internet Friends” (NSFW) and are a staple at many of the clubs around the cities, goth and otherwise. Support acts have yet to be announced but one can assume they will be in for a lot of dancing through the night. Tickets are between $30 and $40 and it is an 18+ show.

Julien-K offers up a darkwave and synthpop sound and has been touring with Bush and the Cult after releasing a new compilation album Time Capsule: A Future Restrospective back in February. They’re swinging through the cities for a one-off show with local favorites ENDIF and Illuminate Steele. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door and is 21+.

A Conspiracy of Strange Girls is hosting an arts and crafts fair along with great music by the DJs from Gothess. Over 30 artists providing original artwork, prints, ceramics, leather goods, screen-printed T-shirts, woodwork, embroidery, photography, jewelry, and so much more. There will also be a tintype photo booth, a prize wheel with winnings from local businesses, donuts from Sssdude-Nutz, and the Curious Goat food truck. All proceeds from the prize wheel, Blick sponsorship, donut sales, and $1 from each sale of Modist Brewing’s special “Strange Girls Brew” will go to the Roberts Shoes Displacement Fund which helps artists living in the building rebuild their lives after so much was lost in the fire that took the building on May 27th. This event is free and open to the public.

Dark Energy and Nightchain team up for the second year in a row to take to the high rivers and bring you Yacht Goth, a “maritime dance party” that offers up a lot of classic synthpop, new wave, goth rock, and darkwave. Special guest DJ this year is Jeff Dubois covering the goth and industrial, while DJs Grant Mayland, Garrison Grouse, and Necromancer fill out the night. All black nautical attire strongly encouraged but not required, but dress up for this one. All net proceeds go to the Robert’s Shoes Displacement Fund. Departure is at 7:00 p.m. from Bohemian Flats Park but be early so you don’t miss it! Event is 21+ and tickets are $40 which covers the trip and food.

What: Club NightWhen: Monday, July 23rd at 10:00 p.m.Where: Rouge at the Lounge (Minneapolis)

Hard Mondays takes you down the dark tunnel with a night of goth, darkwave, post-punk, etherial, deathrock, and melancholy synthpop. Hard Mondays has always brought some of the best dance music, and this night will be no exception. The night will feature DJ Mercury in addition to the house DJs and make sure you wish DJ Noise a very happy birthday! Admission is 21+ with a $3 cover.

My Bloody Valentine out of Dublin, Ireland, is back on tour and hitting the Twin Cities with their classic post-punk, shoegaze, and experimental rock sound. Their last album m b v was released in 2013 and they are still going strong even after more than 3o years. This summer seems to be ripe with classic acts making their way through town and we are all luckier for it. This show should be well in line with what we’ve seen and what will come. Tickets are $45–$75 and it is 18+.

English synthpop duo Erasure hits town like a storm after releasing World Be Gone in 2017 and the post-classical revisit of that album called World Beyond which debuted in March. Erasure has a long history in the new wave, goth, and queer communities and this show should bring out a lot of people who have followed them through the years. Joining them will be Reed & Caroline who fit with the poppy and synth giants exceptionally well. Tickets are $35-$89 and all ages.

Weekly Events

What: Radio ShowWhen: Tuesdays from 9:00 p.m. and repeated on Saturdays at 11:00 p.m.Where: 98.9 FM or online at KRSM Radio

DJ Mercury brings you the musical and pop-culture history of the goth and alternative scene in her one-hour show for the Southside Media Project. Blending interviews, history, and music to tie it all together makes her show one to catch.

For 17 years, DJ Jake Rudh has been bringing the best of ’80s new wave and synthpop to the clubs every Wednesday (and more recently to the airwaves on the Current every Thursday). Transmission is an amazing night of music, videos, dancing, and ’80s nostalgia for all fans, and there are people who have met and gotten married thanks to this unparalleled night of music. Come out and see what it’s all about, you won’t regret it. This event is 21+ and free!

What: Radio ShowWhen: Friday Mornings from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.; 11th Anniversary Show July 13th and Emperor of Collectors Corner with Jeremy Brezovan July 20th Where: 90.3 FM Minneapolis/106.7 FM St. Paul or online at KFAI Community Radio

DJ SLT has been bringing his wide-ranging musical interests to KFAI for over 10 years. His show features anything and everything from ’70s glam rock to EBM, industrial, pop, and all the David Bowie you never knew existed. DJ SLT frequently has theme nights, guest hosts, collaborations, and collectors’ corners to make a varied and greatly interesting radio show worth staying awake for. He also plays his own original works under the name Kradis.

Ground Zero has been the goth community’s mainstay for nearly 24 years. Today it is the best place to grab a drink and dance to the best music the goth world has to offer (and some it hasn’t). With three rotating DJs keeping the music fresh and interesting, it sets the scene for what’s going on in the back—where the in-house dominatrixes keep your blood pumping with safe and consensual scenes you can either watch or participate in (after signing up, staying sober until your time, and tipping the mistress). No photos, 21+, $7.00 cover, cash-only bar. Come casual or dress to impress.

What: Club NightWhen: Sundays from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Where: The Pourhouse (Minneapolis)

Communion Sundays take over the Pourhouse with multiple DJs on each floor. The DJs rotate around weekly, giving you a unique experience each time. Admission is $15 and is 21+.

So which of these events will you be attending? What events would you like to see featured in the future? Let us know in the comments section below or contact us via email. And don’t forget to add your events to the Twin Cities GeekCommunity Calendar!

About the Author

Vanessa has an obsession with Nintendo systems, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and The Sims. She is an EBM- and industrial-loving goth who takes entirely too much delight in absurdist mashups and inflicting them on others.